1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a slidable roof device for a motor vehicle such as an automobile.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A slidable roof apparatus equipped with a flexible slidable roof member for covering a roof panel opening of a motor vehicle wherein the flexible member is openable from the forward to the rearward direction of a vehicle body has been known in the art as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laying Open Gazette No. 63-40228.
However, this type of slidable roof apparatus opens only the front of the roof panel opening of the vehicle body by opening the flexible member. Therefore, when there are passengers in the rear seat, the flexible member is folded into the rear portion of the roof panel opening and overlies the passengers in the rear seat. This means that even if the roof panel fully opening is opened full, the passengers in the rear seat may feel uncomfortable and stifled.
A further disadvantage of this apparatus is that, since only the front of the roof panel opening can be opened, air will not circulate through the vehicle from the opening, thus failing to obtain favorable ventilation. In addition, opening only the front of the roof panel opening may have the result that the vehicle cabin functions as a kind of a resonance box, thereby creating a resonance, or a throb sound.